The Indian activist movement known as the Cockroach Janata Party\n(CJP) gained significant public attention last May after leading several\nweeks of protests regarding a university entrance exam leak scandal.\nThis movement exerted immense pressure on the government, ultimately\nleading to the resignation of India\u2019s Education Minister, Dharmendra\nPradhan, last July.<\/p>\n
Now, the CJP has shifted its focus to India\u2019s public schools by\norganising volunteer visits to classrooms, documenting school\nconditions, and demanding accountability for various identified\nissues.<\/p>\n
Launched on 15 August 2026, coinciding with India\u2019s Independence Day,\nthis initiative invites parents, students, and volunteers to inspect\nschools and record the condition of basic facilities such as toilets,\ndrinking water, electricity, classroom furniture, and school buildings.\nThe CJP stated that these findings will be used to urge the government\nto implement necessary repairs.<\/p>\n
Their initial target is to audit 100 public schools in rural areas\nwithin two months. The CJP has also proposed providing awards to village\nleaders who successfully improve the quality of schools in their\nregions.<\/p>\n
Unlike the CJP\u2019s street demonstrations, this school audit requires a\nmore sustainable form of local activism. Volunteers are expected to work\nconsistently at the local level, documenting school conditions and\nfollowing up with government officials, parents, and local\ncommunities.<\/p>\n
The organisation must also navigate various layers of Indian\nbureaucracy. The responsibility for managing public schools is divided\nbetween state governments, local administrations, and elected village\ngovernment bodies. Consequently, the CJP must face differing regulations\nand political interests across various regions of India.<\/p>\n
According to data from the Indian Ministry of Education, there are\nover one million public schools in the country. This figure accounts for\nnearly 70% of all schools in India, yet it serves less than half of the\nnation\u2019s total 247 million students.<\/p>\n
CJP: \u201cWe are not afraid\u201d<\/p>\n
The vast coverage of public schools provides significant scope for\nCJP\u2019s actions. However, it also presents new challenges. Authorities\nhave begun questioning the regulations and locations of CJP\u2019s audits,\nincluding concerns regarding student protection while children are\nwithin the school environment.<\/p>\n
Government responses vary by state. Some authorities have ordered\ntheir own inspections, while others have restricted access or even taken\nlegal action against CJP volunteers.<\/p>\n
Governments in the states of Maharashtra and Rajasthan have refused\nunauthorised visits to schools. In one instance, a report from a school\nled the police to take action against CJP members after they entered\nschool grounds to conduct an audit.<\/p>\n
In Rajasthan, restrictions have been imposed on outsiders wishing to\nenter public schools, including limitations on photography, interviews,\nand other forms of documentation. CJP volunteers in Rajasthan also\nreported being attacked while conducting inspections at a school.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are not afraid. We are simply demanding accountability from the\ngovernment,\u201d said CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka.<\/p>\n
Government: Schools are not open public spaces<\/p>\n
In the state of Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has\nordered government officials to conduct direct inspections of school\nfacilities. He also instructed the police to take action against videos\ndeemed misleading regarding schools and colleges.<\/p>\n
The CJP believes these measures undermine public oversight. However,\nauthorities argue that schools are not places that can be inspected by\nanyone without permission, particularly when students are present.<\/p>\n
Vinita Gursahani Singh, manager of the civic empowerment campaign\n\u2018We, The People\u2019, stated that these boundaries are regulated by law.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnder the Right to Information Act, every citizen can inspect a\nschool, but they must submit an application first. This is sensible as\nit is necessary to consider the interests of students and the\nteaching-learning process,\u201d Singh told DW.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll forms of public oversight are legitimate. It is indeed our duty\nto provide oversight, but such oversight must follow procedure and be\nconducted fairly. The rules applicable to one citizen must apply to\nall,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
Can activists act as inspectors?<\/p>\n
The CJP maintains that public schools are institutions funded by\npublic money, therefore the community has a legitimate right to know how\nthese schools operate.<\/p>\n
Their volunteers use standardised audit forms to record school\nconditions and submit their findings to the CJP. The organisation stated\nit will use this data to pressure local governments to respond to the\nvarious issues discovered.<\/p>\n
However, critics question whether citizen activists can assume the\nrole of school inspectors. There are concerns regarding whether\nvolunteers possess sufficient expertise to assess safety or\ninfrastructure issues, and how the veracity of allegations published on\nsocial media can be verified.<\/p>\n
Mohandas Pai, an education observer, supports the CJP\u2019s focus on\npublic schools but disagrees with their methods. \u201cI am pleased to see\nyoung people caring about school education. This system is indeed\nproblematic and requires reform,\u201d Pai told DW.<\/p>\n
However, he opposes the practice of entering schools in large groups\nto question headteachers and students. \u201cYou cannot simply enter a school\njust because you feel entitled to do so,\u201d said Pai. He emphasised\nthat\u2026<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/cockroach-party-inspects-schools-indian-government-restricts-access-1788235107", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }